Controller for luminous electric signs



March 16 1926. F. H. EELES CONTROLLERAFOR LUMINOUS ELECTRIC SIGNS Filed Oct. 25.. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (b vil ariz g Mmh 16,1926. 1,577,208

F. H. EELES CONTROLLER FOR LUMINOUS ELECTRIC SIGNS Filed 001M725. 1923 2 Sheet-Shet 2 E en?- wede mkfhl zz Zas Patented Mar. 16, 1926. v

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

FREDERICK HARRY EELES, or rnmsrnnncn.

CONTROLLER FOR LUMINOUS ELECTRIC SIGNS.

Application filed October 25, 1923. Serial NOFGF'ORBB.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK HARRY EELES, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 132 'Rue Lafayette, Paris, Seine, France, have invented new and useful Improvements inControllers for Luminous 'Electric Signs, of which the following is a specification.

The present nvention relates to a circuit switch for a luminous electric sign. Accord mg to the lnventlon, the slgn comprlsesa board oflamps uniformly distributed, each lamp having a circuit-breaker included in its clrcuit, all the clrcuit-breakers belng grouped in a similar manner to the lamps and so "that they can be actuated by a perforated v strip or band which is driven by hand or by a motor. 7

According to one zatlon of the lnventlon, each clrcult-breaker consistsof two contact-studs situated in theprolongation of each other. One stud is fixed while theother is movable axially and is constituted by a spring-piston which tends to contact with the fixed stud so as to close the circuit, all the circuit-breakers being actuated by the movable perforated band which allows oppositely located studs to toucheach other, 'w hen one of its perforations occupies a position. between them, but otherwise holds I in the bottomof a'groove formed in a U- the intermediary ofperforations formedin' the material, the strip being moved by the 45,

shaped insulating member, while the -mov able studs are mounted in a plate which fitsin the groove, above the fixed studs, the

perforated strip moving betweenthe bottom of the groove and the lower face of the plate carrying the movable studs. The present invention further relates to a device for actu-.

ating a strip or band of material through engagement of a driving member in saidperforations. 'Up to the present, the driving member was in the form of a sprocket wheel,

' the teethlof which were made to engage directly inthe perforationsin the strip and to pull same forward, so that the effort necessary for moving the strip was borne by the material itself. This arangement is subject to the drawback that in many cases the necessary pull is great enough tocause dis" tortion of the band or even to tear it across its width. Inthe 'case of strips of insulating form of practical'realithem insulated from each other. I I V I I In practice, all the fixed studs are mounted is a plan view of Fig. 4.

which engage in the perforations of the strip of material along a substantial portion of its length in the region where it is subject to resisting strains so that the material of the strip is relieved of tensional stress. Suchdriving member may consist of a plate,

also having projections, said plate being adapted to be moved up and down to engage the perforations in the strip and to move said strip transversely when the projections engage in the perforations.

The invention is shownrdia 'rammaticall 1 o and by Way of example 1n the accompanymg drawings 1n which:

Fig. 1 IS a .perspectlve view of the cir-.

cuit-breakers asa .whole, the plate carrying the movable studs being raised- Fig. 2 IS a transverse section of Fig. .1, the plate hemg swung down into the groove.

; This figure also shows a diagram of the con nectionsfor one of the lamps.

Fig.3 isa view of a portionof the perforated band.

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the driving means for the perforated strip.

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig.

The advertislngsign proper consists of aboard of lamps uniformly distributed and connected by one of theiriterminals to one of the poles of a source of current. Allthe other terminals of the lamps are connected respectively to fixedcontact studs lfldistributed inthe same way as the lamps, and

each lamp is ,thus connected to the studwhich occupies the same position as the lamp itself in the whole arrangement. Opposite each fixed, stud'l is arrangedamovable stud 2 consisting of springpistons. All the movable studs are connected to thatpole of. the source of current which is not already connected to the lamps.

Between'the fixed studs 1 and the movable studs 2 'there'can slide a. perforated 9 and Fig. 6 d

band 3 having holes 4- which are adapted to position themselves in alignment: with the corresponding pair of studs 1, 2. When one of these holes is between a given pair ot studs 1. 2, contact is ellccted and the corresponding lamp lighted. In all other cases the contact is interrupted and the con responding lamp remains extinguished.

All the tired studs 1. are mounted in the bottom of a groove formed in an insulating member 5 of U -shaped cross section. The upper parts of the studs 1 are flush with the bottom of the groove. These studs 1 are constituted by bolts which carry, at their lower portion nuts and lock nuts 6 which serve to hold the studs themselves in place and also to hind the connecting wires 7 leading" to the lamps one of which is shown at 8, Figure The insulating member 5 can be reinforced, if desired, hymeans of metallic corner pieces 9.

All the movable studs 2 are mounted in a plate 10 which fits into the groove of the menibe 5 and is preferably hinged as shown at 11 (Figs. l, and 2). An interval equal to the thickness of the band 3 is left between the bottom of the groove formed in the member 5 and the lower face of the plate 10 when this latter is swung down and in place, as shown in Fig. 2. A latch 12 holds the plate 10 in its swung-down position. The studs 2 are constituted by shouldered cylinders which are urged down wardly by springs 13 which abut against conducting plates 14 connected to one of the poles of the source of current.

The perto'ated band 3 has perforations 4 arranged in order or form. For instance they are here shown in the shape of the letters of the alphabet and in such a manner as to correspond to the distribution of thestuds l, 2. The band 3 is provided on its edges with driving perforations 15 similar to those of cincmatograph films.

The method of ope'ation will now be easily understood.

If it is supposed for an instant that the perforated band is stopped between the studs .1, 2, all the circuit breakers corresponding to peritorzitions such as 4 will be closed and all the lamps corresponding to the perforations t will be illuminated. The sign will then shdw an inscription similar to that oi the band and formed in illumi natetl lamps. If it is then supposed that the band is moved progressively, the inscription will also move. The band 3 can be made of a very great length and itcan carry entire phrases which will be displayed upon the luminous sign.

The perforated band 3 is held for instance, between two reels from one of which it unwinds and winds up upon the other. 'At a slight distance beneath the band is lo cated a plate 7 provided with studs or projections. This plate has an extension 12" having a vertical face and a horizontal face. A cam S is adapted to engage the horizontal face tor the purpose of raising the plate 7 at intervals so as to cause the projections 4 to enter the pertointions 3 in the band. A, cain 9" then comes into contact with the extension lit and moves it to the left in Fig. 4t, so the the band is moved one step forward. A the earn a continues to rotate, the plate "7 sinks under the pull of a spring 1.0" and after a caurtain interval, the cam 9 leaves the extension 12 and the plate 7 is drawn to the right in Fig. l by the spring 11", said plate being, during such movement, in its lowermost position and the projections l being clear of the perforations 3.

The extensions 12 a re preferably provid ed at each side of the plate 7 together with the cams 8*" and 5) tor actuating them. The cams are preferably actuated by wormwheels 13, 1.4- mounted on their axes and driven by worms 15 16. respectively from any convenient source of power. It desired, the driving means shown in Fig. 4 at one end of plate 7 can be doubled by identical driving means arranged at the other end of plate 7.

I claim:

1. A form operated circuit switch comprising a plurality 0t circuit breakers, a perforate band of insulating material, the perforations of which. are adapted to act upon and allow said circuit breakers to close in predetermined groups and sequences, and a drivingmember tor said band comprising means for simultaneously engaging marginal portions of said band along the portion of its length which acts against said circuit breakers, means for moving said engaging means into operative position, means for advancing said engaging means while engaged with said band, said engaging means being movable to disengaged position, and means for retracting said engaging means while disengaged.

2. A form operated circuit switch comprising a plurality of circuit breakers, a perforated band of insulating material, the perforations of which are adapted to act upon and allow said circuit breakeis to close in predetermined groups and sequences, and a driving member for said band comprising means for engaging marginal perforations in said band along the portion of its length which acts upon said circuit breakers, means for raising said member into engagement with said band, means for advancing said member, means for lowering said member out of engage ment with said band and means for moving said member backwards.

3. A form operated circuit switch comprising a plurality of circuit breakersm perforated band of insulating material, the per Min forations of which are adapted toact upon and allow said circuit breakers to close, in predetermined groups and sequences, and a driving member for said band comprising means for engaging marginal perforations in said baud along the portion of its length which acts upon said circuit breakers, a cam for raising said member into engagement with said band, a cam foradvancing said member, a spring for lowering said member out of engagement with said band and a sprin for moving said member backwards.

4:. A form operated circuit switch comprising a plurality of circuit breakers, a perforated band of insulating material, the perforations of which are adapted to act upon and allow said circuit breakers to close in predetermined groups and sequences, and a driving member for said band comprising means for engaging marginal perforations in said band along the portion of its length which acts upon said circuit breakers, a cam for raising said member into engagement with said band, a cam for advancing said member, a spring for lowering said member out of engagement with said band, a spring for moving said member backwards and a mechanical timing connection between said cams.

5. A form operated circuit switch comprising a plurality of circuit breakers, a perforated band of insulating material, the perforations ofwhich are adapted to act upon and allow said circuit breakers to close in predetermined groups and sequences and a driving member for said band comprising means for engaging marginal perforations in said band along the portion of its length which acts upon said circuit breakers, a cam for raising said member into engagement with said band, a cam for advancing said member, a spring for lowering said member out of engagement with said band, a spring for moving said member backwards, two Wormwheels fast respectively to each of said cam-s, two worms respectively in mesh with said worm wheels, a shaft upon which said worms are keyed and means for rotating said shaft.

FREDERICK HARRY EELES. 

